Testing the waters

Wednesday, October 16, 1996

FOOTBALL:

Phillip Ward has come a long way to become UCLA’s No. 1 ranked
in tacklesBy Rob Kariakin

Daily Bruin Contributor

Phillip Ward would prefer she not tell this story. He doesn’t
mind people talking to his mother, he simply wishes that they heard
something a little less … well … embarrassing.

"I didn’t think she was gonna tell that one," he said. "Oh,
well. I’m … she told you … oh, well. I might as well tell you
the whole thing now."

It was his first time away from home. He was about 8 years old
and he had gone off to summer camp at Griffith Park here in Los
Angeles. Along with other boys his age, he spent the first few days
camping, roasting marshmallows, and passing a swim test down at the
pool.

The thing was, he didn’t know how to swim. He passed the test
only because he was tall enough to run along the bottom of the
pool, making it appear that he was swimming.

Afterwards, thinking he could swim, some of the other kids
thought it would be funny to throw him off of the side of the pool
and into the deep end.

It wasn’t very funny.

"I got so nervous and scared, I just started throwing up and
everything," he said.

In the pool?

"Yeah. Really, I thought I was gonna drown."

The counselors fished him out and a weeping Ward called his
parents, pleading for them to rescue him.

Of course, like most kids, he had changed his mind by the time
his father, Willie Ward, could drive up to Griffith Park from their
home in Compton and he stayed the rest of the session. But the
experience had left its mark.

"He made it his business to learn how to swim, I think, after
that experience," his mother, Carolyn Ward, said.

That day at the Griffith Park pool wouldn’t be the last time
Ward was thrown into new and uncomfortable waters.

After nine years in Compton public schools, Ward was sent (as
his sister Loretta had been the year before) to Pius X High School
in Downey in search of a better education.

"You know, public school’s whatever," Ward said. "Obviously the
education is different, the dress code is different, just about
everything is different. And changing from that to go to private
school, especially in Downey … People were different; there
weren’t that many blacks and we had to wear this uniform every day,
you know what I mean? And you’ve got nuns and stuff walking around,
and the education and stuff. And it was a … it was a big
change.

"Actually, to be honest, the first year I got there, I really
didn’t like it."

But he stuck it out. Despite his mother’s offer that he could
transfer back to public school after one year if he was still
unhappy, Ward decided to stay at Pius and became an honor student
while lettering in baseball, basketball and football.

After his success on the gridiron brought him to Westwood, Ward
faced yet another new and unpleasant experience: not playing.

After missing all but four games of his senior season in high
school due to a broken wrist, he was forced to redshirt his
freshman year at UCLA due to the team’s depth at the linebacker
position. Sitting on the sidelines didn’t gel too well with Ward’s
personality and approach to the game.

"Any time Phillip doesn’t get to play … I mean, he’s the kind
of player that if the coach brings him out of the game at the
fourth quarter, in the last five minutes of the game and they’re
ahead 22 points or so, he’s disappointed," Carolyn Ward said. "He
likes to be in there for the whole time. I mean he really eats,
sleeps, dreams football.

"Whenever they went away on a game, he just felt lost."

Over the next two seasons it was a feeling he seldom
experienced. Playing behind and then next to All-Pac-10 outside
linebacker Donnie Edwards, Ward amassed 77 tackles and eight sacks
over his first two seasons. In 1994 he was second on the team in
sacks and tackles for losses, and sixth in total tackles. He was
voted the Most Improved Player on defense.

Then somebody threw him in the pool again.

Prior to the 1995 season, the team switched from a three
lineman-four linebacker defense to a 4-3, and then-head-coach Terry
Donahue moved several players to new positions in order to fill the
resulting holes. Despite his protests, Ward was shifted from his
customary outside linebacker spot to defensive end.

Ward found himself drowning again.

"It’s much, much different than playing linebacker," he said.
"You’re going up against 280 ­ up to 300-some pound guys, you
know, just about every play, and double-teaming and all that
stuff."

Hampered by mid-season injuries, which caused him to miss two
games, and while often over-matched despite adding pounds to his
usually 225-230 pound frame, Ward’s stats plummeted. His overall
tackles dropped from 56 in his breakthrough sophomore season to 27
his junior year. That fall-off might have been expected due to the
position switch, but not so in the drop in sacks (down from 7.5 to
1) and tackles for a loss (12.5 to 1.) Those numbers should have
increased now that his central goal was to get to people behind the
line of scrimmage.

"(Last year) was a little disappointing, because I had wanted to
do more than that to help the team out," he said. "I think overall
I did the best job I could for the team. But, as far as my personal
goals and things like that, I would have, of course, preferred if I
had played the other position.

"Last year, obviously, it was a different defense than the one
we have right now and, I mean, some plays were designed for other
people to make plays, some of them were designed for me. But, you
know, I’ve got to say it wasn’t a real great season as far as
personal goals. But as far as helping the team out and the
chemistry of the defense, I think it worked."

Like at Griffith Park and Pius X, Ward didn’t give up just
because things took a turn for the worse. This year, with a new
coaching staff and a new three-lineman-three-linebackers-five
defensive-back scheme, the tide is turning for Ward. He, along with
most of his teammates, has moved back to his more comfortable
position and has responded in a big way.

His six tackles for a loss lead the team and his 29 total
tackles rank third. He was named one of the team captains for the
Oregon game and is a candidate for All-Pac-10 honors.

But the highlight of the year came against Michigan. In front of
100,000-plus fans, Ward intercepted a tipped pass in the endzone,
denying a Wolverines touchdown. In addition to amassing eight
tackles on the day, he also picked off a second pass, returning it
42 yards for UCLA’s only touchdown of the afternoon and first of
his career.

"Playing the linebacker position is something that I’m familiar
with," he said. "(If I) feel more comfortable playing, I can help
the team out."

Obviously.

"He’s kinda got the whole package," UCLA defensive coordinator
Rocky Long said. "He’s got good mobility, runs fairly fast, has
good size. You know, loose hipped; he changes directions well."

"I think he’s potentially an NFL back."

Things are definitely looking up for Phillip Ward. One could
even go so far as to say they are going swimmingly.

FRED HE/For the Bruin

The Michigan offensive tackle that Phillip Ward eluded on this
play is just one of many obstacles that he has overcome.